Lamaze International

Programs: Certification, accreditation, and approved provider unit - the lamaze certification council serves as the standard-setting and policy-making body for the organization's certification. Each year two certification exams are developed and administered. A lamaze certified childbirth educator ("lcce") must recertify every three years by either demonstrating they have acquired 25 contact hours of continuing education or have retaken and passed the lamaze certification exam. The lamaze accreditation council sets standards, guidelines and policy for the accreditation of lamaze childbirth education programs which prepare candidates for lamaze certification, and grants formal approval to outside organizations seeking accreditation for offering lamaze contact hours and for educational offerings. The american nurses credentialing center's ("ancc") approved provider unit supports a clearly defined process for assessing need, planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating lamaze continuing education in accordance with adult learning principles and professional education standards and ethics, and maintains lamaze international's status as an accredited provider of continuing nursing education through the ancc. Education - the lamaze education council ensures that all childbearing women have access to lamaze education through developing, implementing, and evaluating: high quality evidence-based training for childbirth educators, high quality evidence-based continuing education for childbirth educators and other health care professionals, and high quality evidence-based consumer education. The council's programs focus on childbirth educator training and resources, continuing education, parent education and include an lcce member-at-large which represent the needs of new lamaze educators related to training, resources and continuing education to help assure that lamaze education offerings are relevant to childbirth educators and responsive to parents' needs, as well as the needs of interested professionals.

institute for safe and healthy birth - the lamaze institute for safe and healthy birth engages in collaborative efforts with other organizations (including childbirth connection, coalition for improving maternity services, joint commission, national quality forum, u. S. Breastfeeding committee), grass roots advocacy, community outreach, traditional and digital media outreach, and consumer education.

communications - the organization has a robust communications program which targets both the professional and parent/consumer audiences the organization serves. Professional communications include: the journal of perinatal education, a quarterly, peer-reviewed publication; inside lamaze, a member newsletter; and science & sensibility, a research blog about pregnancy, birth and beyond. Communications for parents/consumers include giving birth with confidence, a blog with evidence-based articles and tips related to pregnancy, birth and parenting; your pregnancy week by week, a 40-week email series with evidence-based information for a healthy pregnancy and a safe childbirth. Lamaze has two targeted websites: www. Lamazeinternational. Org, for professionals and www. Lamaze. Org, for expectant and new parents, as well as a social media presence on twitter, facebook, pinterest, youtube and instagram. The organization has recently launched a mobile application that offers evidence-based information and tools for expectant and new parents and serves as a teaching resource for lamaze childbirth educators.

annual conference - each year the organization hosts an annual conference for lamaze members and other maternity care professionals to gather for a robust educational program with plenary and concurrent and pre-conference workshops. The conference includes exhibits of interest to attendees and a social program to encourage networking.